On The Beat: Virginia Tech

On the Beat

November 08, 1989|Compiled by DAVE JOHNSON

* NO HARSH WORDS

Four days before last year's game between Virginia and Virginia Tech, Hokie defensive end Jimmy Whitten and linebacker Jock Jones provided some classic bulletin-board material for the Cavaliers. "Dirty players," Whitten called Virginia's team. "Yuppies," offered Jones. Tech's players clearly are attempting to avoid such controversy from recurring. At the midweek press conference Tuesday, outside linebacker Archie Hopkins came the closest to downright criticizm. "We respect them on the football field," he said. "We don't love them, but they're going to win their first ACC title and they've had a great season. We respect them a lot on the football field. But we don't love them. Far from that." Inside linebacker Bobby Martin has several friends on Virginia's roster, including fellow Martinsville-area products Shawn and Herman Moore. "I know Donald Reynolds (defensive end from Axton), Elton Toliver (linebacker from Troutville) and the Moores. It's not a dirty rivalry, because so many players know each other. It's a hard-hitting rivalry, I'll give it that. ... I don't hate U.Va. I like to beat them. It's a friendly rivalry. Everybody's waiting for me to say, `I hate U.Va!' I think the students are more like that than the players. I don't want to say anything that will give them extra incentive." To the surprise of absolutely no one, Whitten and Jones were not invited to the mid-week press conference this time.

* YOUNG TO START

Tech Coach Frank Beamer said Tuesday that senior Cam Young will start at quarterback for the sixth consecutive week. Young took over when Will Furrer went down with a season-ending knee injury against Temple. "We plan to go with Cam on Saturday," Beamer said. "He has the maturity and experience and he's been in a big game before against West Virginia (a 12-10 Tech victory in Young's first start). I feel that's what we need ... if we can get him well."